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WITNESSES:

UNITED "STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

BENJAMIN M. BEALL, OF WASHINGTON, "DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

COMMO'DE-CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 601,312, dated March 29, 1898. Application filed July 1, 1897. Serial NW 643,114. (No model.)

To all whom, it'ma z concern;

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN M. BEALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oommode-Ohairs; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. v 1

This invention is an improvement in commode-chairs, and'has for its object to provide a chair of this character which shall be especially adapted for thehospital, sanatorium, and the sick-room, embodying certain features of construction that effectually prevent the escape of noxious gases, either during evacuation by the patient or while remov-' ing the pan for the purpose of emptying it.

A further feature which is prominently characteristic of the invention is that when the pan is removed and the lid or cover for the seat lowered the chair disguises its real .any approved shape, flanged guide rails or.

tracks secured to theunder side of the seat,

gravity-stops pivoted between the guide-rails at the ends thereof, a pan having a flanged rim, the opposite side flanges riding upon the guide rails 01' tracks to support the pan, while the end flanges are engaged by the gravitystops in such manner as to form tight joints therefor and a removable plate or cover for the pan, the chair having a lid that covers the opening in the seat.

The following specification is intended togive a description of the invention in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and. to letters thereon which designate the different parts, and what is considered to be novel in the construction and combination is specifically set forth in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure l is a vertical longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the guide rails or tracks, showing'the gravitystop in position; and Fig. 5 is an edge view of the gravity-stop.

Referring more particularly to the draw ings, A designates the seat of the chair, which is provided centrally with an opening of any approved shape, the said seat being supported by legs a, and is preferably furnished with a back a and arms at In carrying out my invention in connection with a chair constructed as shown and described the under side of the seat Ais provided with grooves or channels I) entirely surrounding. the seat-opening, the inner side of said continuousgroove or channel being rounded at the corners and beveled, while the outer wall is extended at the corners, forming recesses. Seated within the grooves in front and in the rear of the seat-opening are guide rails or tracks 0, presenting inwardly-projecting flanges c, by which the pan is suspended, and upwardly-projecting flanges c, which bear against the bottom of the grooves or channels. The ends of these guide rails or tracks are rounded or flared outward to facilitate the insertion of the pan and cover therefor, hereinafter described.

D and D designate what Iterm the gravity-stops, which bear at their ends in the recesses c of the guide-rails and extend across from one guide-rail to the other, being located at opposite sides of the seat-opening. These gravity-stops are fiat metal strips having lat eral extensions d near their ends, which are slightly bent in order that when the stop falls to the normal position the inner edge thereof will properly engage the pan.

The pan (designated by the letter E) is preferably provided with a rounded bottom, as shown, to facilitate cleaning the same, the

tance between the guide-rails, to fit snugly, the flanges of the pan and rails being perfectly straight to form a tight joint at these parts, while the gravity-stops close the spaces at the sides. the pan.

A fiat plate or slide F covers It will be noted that the pan can be passed 1 into engagement with the guide rails or tracks 1 from either side, lifting one of the gravitystops and striking the other, which locates it in proper position beneath the seat-opening. Thus one of the gravity-stops forms the stop while the other rests upon the pan, the position of said stops being reversed when the pan is inserted from the other side. This provides a very novel construction in commode-chairs, for it often happens that the chair is placed against one side of abed, and by the arrangement shown and described it is immaterial which side of the bed the chair is placed against, as the pan can be inserted from either side of the same. It is also apparent that the lid for the pan can be inserted by the one occupying the chair, and will form a tight closure to prevent the escape of noxious gases.

The chair-seat is provided with a lid or cover G, hinged in the rear of the opening, and is folded back to expose the latter. The said lid is upholstered by an impervious or germ-proof fabric, and when lowered not only entirely covers the opening, but also forms a solid seat, converting the device into an ordinary arm-chair, and after the pan is removed the true character of the chair is entirely concealed. In this connection the invention provides for removing the objectionable features of a commode-chair by the production of one that can be readily converted into an article of common furniture.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the invention is in the attachments and their combination with a chair, as set forth in the following claims, which form the basis of this application.

I claim 1. In a commode-chair, for the purposes set forth, the combination of the chair or seat thereof having an opening therethrough, guide rails or tracks secured to the under side of the seat in front and in the rear of the seat-opening, gravity-stops pivoted at the ends of said tracks and extending between the same, a pan having projecting flanges by which it is suspended from the guide rails or tracks, and a flat lid or plate fitting over the pan, as shown and described.

2. In a commode-chair, for the purposes set forth, the combination with the chair or seat thereof having an opening therethrough, guide rails or tracks secured to the under side of the seat in front and in the rear of the seat-opening and presentinglaterally-projecting flanges, the ends of said rails having inclined recesses in their upper side, gravitystops or flat plates hearing at their ends in the aforesaid recesses, said stops or plates having extensions bent at a slight angle and adapted to normally rest upon the flanges of the rails or tracks, a pan provided with projecting flanges or rim, and a flat plate or lid for the pan to fit tightly thereon, the chairseat having a hinged lid or cover for the opening, as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BENJAHIN M. BEALIJ.

Witnesses E. EDMONSTON, Jia, E. R. MARTIN. 

